Calendar: January 14-20, 2022
Our movie and media Calendar appears every Friday/Saturday on C-U Blogfidential and caters to the downstate region anchored by Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, USA.
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MILESTONES | Happy Birthday to You!
1/16: Zoe Southlynn-Savage (special events manager, Champaign Park District, Champaign, IL)
1/18: Michelle Kaffko Ebner (owner, Organic Headshots, Chicago, IL)
FIELD REPORT DU HQ | From Wherever It May Be Said
One of the deficits of living in the house on the edge of an American small town is that I don’t have much at all to anticipate here of an artistic nature, other than what I might embark on myself if the mood strikes. Even worse, I came to the realization that it’s very hard to work up inner excitement for upcoming movies, concerts, performances, opening nights – hell, anything – when it’s practically a given that I can’t attend because of the family situation and what is now a long haul to travel in order to partake. This lessens my impulse on certain weeks to assemble the Calendar, even though I fight through it with a sense of duty if it can make a difference in the quality of consumption choices for you, dearest readers. I have to process the offerings of Champaign, Urbana, and the cities beyond every seven-ish days with a sort of objectivity in order to get the details composed, corrected, and posted, and then I can appreciate how my former community has enough resources and bulk interest to ensure the shows must go on. Therefore, I offer a belated “hurrah” to send more than 140 miles from MFHQ Remote to the Champaign Park District for turning the elegant Virginia Theatre, which reached a milestone by opening its doors for business and culture the day of its centenary on Tuesday, December 28, into a vibrant venue for the 21st century. That itself is achievement, no matter who or what takes the stage on a given evening. I thank everyone passing through those doors on Park Avenue with purpose since the CPD took ownership of the Virginia 22 years ago this month to ensure its success. And now, once again, I miss living in the Secret MICRO-FILM Headquarters one block away from the edge of West Side Park next to downtown Champaign, where one has an easy view of the Virginia in the near distance. A sigh has commenced as we speak.
CONFIDENTIAL ALMANAC | Dates in Film Culture History
100 Years Ago … Wednesday, December 28, 1921: A touring production of the smash hit mystery play, The Bat, is the thrilling attraction for the grand opening tonight of the Virginia Theatre on West Park Avenue in downtown Champaign, Illinois. Originally conceived as a portion of a sprawling complex that would have included a hotel, according to the research done by Perry C. Morris of C-U Theater History, the Virginia was first proposed by Charles “C.C.” Pyle, a manager of the Rialto Theater who recognized the need for a playhouse that could accommodate stage performances as well as larger weekend crowds. He partnered with A.W. Stoolman, a contractor based in Champaign, to realize the Italian and Spanish Renaissance-inspired venue that was designed by the architects C. Howard Crane and H. Kenneth Franzheim of Detroit with assistance from a local supervising architect, George Ramey. The Bat is a comedic whodunit in three acts written by Mary Roberts Rinehart and Avery Hopwood and produced by the Broadway veteran team of Wagenhals & Kemper, under the direction of Colin Kemper, in which a spinster played by Kate Blancke is beleaguered by a series of strange events in the mansion she rents on Long Island. Pyle has already scheduled the Virginia’s first motion picture program for the next three nights, which will feature the hilarious short subject THE BOAT with Buster Keaton and the acclaimed Richard Barthelmess drama TOL’ABLE DAVID from Associated First National Pictures along with reels from Pathé and International News Weekly and live overtures by the Virginia Symphony Orchestra. Films are to be accompanied by George May on a brand-new Wurlitzer Hope-Jones pipe organ to lend an air of emotion and excitement. The Virginia would change ownership several times over the next 80 years and eventually be acquired by the Champaign Park District in 2000, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2003, and renovated in stages to restore its original glory for generations to come.
NOW PLAYING | Champaign-Urbana Area
@ AMC Champaign 13, Champaign, IL
BANGARRAJU, BELLE (animé), SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, KING RICHARD, THE KING’S MAN, THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, WEST SIDE STORY (1/14 on), Fathom Events presents “Betty White: A Celebration” (1/17, 4 & 7 p.m.)
@ Phoenix Savoy 16 + IMAX, Savoy, IL
BELLE (animé), SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, THE KING’S MAN, LICORICE PIZZA, THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE, WEST SIDE STORY (1/14 on), HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (1/16, 3 & 7 p.m.; 1/19, 7 p.m.), Fathom Events presents “Betty White: A Celebration” (1/17, 1, 4 & 7 p.m.), REDEEMING LOVE (1/20 on)
@ Redbox, Champaign-Urbana, IL
AMITYVILLE UPRISING, ANTLERS, DUNE, HALLOWEEN KILLS, HEART OF CHAMPIONS, SPENCER, more! (1/11 on) Online rentals
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
“The Arthouse Experience” w/Sanford Hess feat. WILD TALES (1/19, 7 p.m.), Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Film Series” feat. SAY ANYTHING (1/20, 7 p.m.), The News-Gazette Film Series presents ALL ABOUT EVE (1/22, 1 & 7 p.m.)
Events featuring locally produced movies are marked with an asterisk (*). Additional “Now Playing” and “Coming Soon” listings appear after the jump!
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NOW PLAYING | The Cities Beyond
@ AMC Classic Parkway Pointe 8, Springfield, IL
Springfield Art Association presents Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series feat. THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS (1/16, 1 & 4 p.m.; 1/18, 7 p.m.)
@ AMC Classic Village Mall 6, Danville, IL
SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, THE KING’S MAN, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (1/14 on)
@ AMC Peru Mall 8, Peru, IL
BELLE, SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (1/14 on)
@ The Avon Theater, Decatur, IL
SCREAM, SING 2, THE TENDER BAR (1/14-1/16)
@ The Fischer Theatre, Danville, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Little Lorraine, Hoopeston, IL
Private rentals for the week.
@ The Normal Theater, Normal, IL
THE GREEN KNIGHT (1/14-1/16), THE CROODS: A NEW AGE (1/15), C’MON C’MON (1/20)
@ The Onarga Theatre, Onarga, IL
Closed for the week.
@ The Princess Theatre, Leroy, IL
SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (1/14-1/16)
@ Streator Eagle 6, Streator, IL
SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME, WEST SIDE STORY (1/14 on), THE KING’S DAUGHTER (1/20 on)
@ VIP Lincoln Grand 6, Lincoln, IL
SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (1/14 on)
@ VIP Roxy Cinemas, Ottawa, IL
SCREAM, THE 355, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, SING 2, SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME (1/14 on)
NOW PLAYING | Midwest
For detailed and curated listings of Chicago-area film presentations and related events, as well as cancellations and postponements due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, please visit the fine folks at Cine-File and subscribe to their definitive “Cine-List” weekly blast.
COMING SOON | Area-wide Events
NEW! 1/22
2022 Flatlands Dance Film Festival Short Film Competition
@ Spurlock Museum of World Cultures, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m.
2/18-2/19
B-Fest 2022
@ Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
3/31-4/3
32nd Onion City Experimental Film + Video Festival
@ Chicago Filmmakers, Chicago, IL
4/7-4/17
24th annual Wisconsin Film Festival
@ University of Wisconsin, etc., Madison, WI
4/8-4/10
Dead in Decatur presents “The Art of Fear”
@ Heroic Age Art Center, Mt. Zion, IL
4/20-4/23
22nd Roger Ebert’s Film Festival
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL
9/22-10/2
40th Reeling: The Chicago LGBTQ+ International Film Festival, Chicago, IL
COMMUNITY & CAMPUS SERIES | Champaign-Urbana area
“The Arthouse Experience Film Series” curated by Sanford Hess
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
1/19: WILD TALES; 2/23: ADAPTATION; 3/23: THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS; 4/6: BIG NIGHT; 5/25: EIGHTH GRADE; 6/1: THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI: to be rescheduled: THE ARTIST
Illini Radio Group presents “Rewind 92.5 Film Series”/“Mix 94.5 Throwback Thursdays”*
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 7 p.m.
1/20: SAY ANYTHING; 2/2: GROUNDHOG DAY; 3/21: ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK; 4/4: FACE/OFF; 5/23: MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME; 6/30: WAYNE’S WORLD; 7/14: STARSHIP TROOPERS
NEW! Illini Union Board presents “Spring 2022 Weekend Films”
@ Pine Lounge, 1st floor, Illini Union, UIUC, Urbana, IL, 7 p.m. Fri. & Sat, free w/i-card
1/21-1/22: VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE; 1/28-1/29: SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS; 2/4-2/5: DUNE; 2/11-2/12: DEAR EVAN HANSON; 2/18-2/19: NO TIME TO DIE; 2/25-2/26: ETERNALS; 3/ 4-3/5: ENCANTO; 3/11-3/12: THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS; 3/18-3/19: SING 2; 3/25-3/26: HOUSE OF GUCCI; 4/1-4/2: GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE; 4/8-4/9: SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME; 4/15-4/16: A JOURNAL FOR JORDAN; 4/22-4/23: JACKASS FOREVER; 4/29-4/30: RUMBLE
Springfield Art Association presents the 30th annual Molly Schlich Independent | International Film Series
@ AMC Classic Springfield 12, Springfield, IL, 1 & 4 p.m. Sunday + 7 p.m. Tuesday
1/16, 1/18: THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS; 1/23, 1/25: THE TRUTH; 1/30, 2/1: SPOOR; 2/6, 2/8: INDIA SWEETS AND SPICES; 2/13, 2/15: THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN; 2/20, 2/22: THE RESCUE; 2/27, 3/1: RIDERS OF JUSTICE
The News-Gazette Film Series
@ The Virginia Theatre, Champaign, IL, 1 & 7 p.m.
1/22: ALL ABOUT EVE; 2/19: IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT; 4/30: DUCK SOUP; 6/25: HIGH NOON; 7/29: TOP HAT
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Compiled by Jason Pankoke.
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“Calendar du C-U”
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